Space and Time
by HaloFin17
Summary: In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. An Infinity War AU for those who wanted to see Loki play a larger role. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. It's also fair to say that I wouldn't be surprised if someone else is writing a story with a similar premise and I simply haven't seen it. In that case, I do apologize for the encroachment.

 **Author's Note:** I'm not sure yet where this is going to end up, but I loved the idea so much, I just had to start. Plus, I can't bear to say goodbye to Loki – not like the movie did, anyway. It all happened way too quickly and much too soon.

Premise draws on the brotherly mountain scene in Avengers 1, when Loki tells Thor, "I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it..." But please give me a little grace on this one. I've never read the comics, and I'm sure many readers have a better understanding of the Marvel universe as a whole than I do. However, I will do my very best. Enjoy!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 1**

Loki could not do this.

He was a sorcerer, he was a prince, he was a god. He could do a great many things.

But he could not listen to his brother's screams or watch his suffering any longer. He had already let it go too far.

"All right, stop!"

Thor slumped limply in Thanos' grasp, drained by the agony of an Infinity Stone pressed against his temple; Loki's heart mimicked the motion. Even the God of Thunder couldn't fight his way out of this one, and Loki couldn't be sure his silver tongue would be up for the task, either. Not if both of them were to survive. The only way to ensure that would be to get himself and his brother off this damned ship!

He brought forth the Tesseract as bidden, pretending it didn't hurt when Thor mumbled, "You really are the worst, Brother."

The raw energy of the Cube hummed against Loki's fingertips, a siren's call to his growing need to _act_. While posing as Odin, he'd had opportunities to study the Tesseract even more closely and learn its workings. Now that he held this vast power in his hand, he could flee at any moment – but he refused to do so without Thor. If only he could get closer…

He came forward, knowing full well that each step brought another Infinity Stone closer to Thanos.

Loki mustered his courage and addressed the broken prince. "I assure you, Brother, the sun will shine on us again."

"Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian," sneered Thanos in response.

Loki was near enough now that he had to crane his neck backward to look up at the Titan. "Well, for one thing, I'm not Asgardian." How strange it felt to admit that truth so freely! "And for another, we have a Hulk."

Perfectly on cue, Banner's green beast broke through the rubble and tackled Thanos from behind. Loki dove forward in the same instant, ducking under the combatants and shoving Thor out of harm's way; he also kept the Tesseract securely grasped in one hand.

Naturally, his headstrong sibling would try to rejoin the fight if they stayed, so he had to act fast. There was the _slightest_ twinge from his conscience at the prospect of deserting Banner and a wounded Heimdall, but this was necessary. Thor would not understand; he would never willingly sacrifice two friends to save himself, even if both of those friends (or at least Heimdall) would die for Asgard's new king without hesitation. So Loki made the decision for him. He had already seen his brother tortured before his eyes this day; he would not stay to watch him die next.

With one hand still clutching Thor's arm, the Jotun bent his full will toward the Tesseract and felt it respond. Space itself warped and bent around them, distorting matter on all sides, and Loki pulled Thor backward with him into the resulting portal.

Ebony Maw, the nearest of Thanos' "children," lunged forward with a snarl to follow them through, and Loki was forced to rapidly close the portal behind him, even before he and Thor had reached their destination. In his haste and inexperience, the sorcerer accidentally had the portal deposit them in the open air high above the planet's surface. It wouldn't be a fatal fall, not for them, yet the distance was still sufficient to make the landing…unpleasant.

For better or for worse, he had chosen to bring them to a place both he and the Tesseract had seen before – the last time they had both been on Midgard.

The Princes of Asgard collapsed together in a tangled heap in Central Park.

 **Author's End Note:** I know it's super short, but consider this a teaser chapter of sorts. You know, kind of like how, in the movie, Loki is dead even before the opening title rolls. It's just not right. I hope to have another chapter posted before I go out of town next week, but we'll see how it goes. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. It's also fair to say that I wouldn't be surprised if someone else is writing a story with a similar premise and I simply haven't seen it. In that case, I do apologize for the encroachment.

 **Author's Note:** Obviously, this got done a lot sooner than I was expecting. Enjoy!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 2**

It had been a more painful exit than Loki anticipated, and he needed a long moment after the collision to catch his breath. It was true, his knowledge of the Tesseract had come at a steep price, but that didn't immediately equate to practical application. It would take a few more times, he figured, before he could simply step in and out of the Tesseract's portals. Granted, their departure this time had been a _tad_ disorganized.

A crowd of stunned mortals had already gathered to gawk and stare, snapping pictures wildly with their addictive handheld devices, yet Loki paid them no mind. There were more pressing matters to address first.

"Thor?"

He rolled off his brother's chest, relieved by the steady heartbeat under his ear; but the elder god was still too dazed to respond after that long fall, and Loki's attempts to pull him upright accomplished nothing.

"Come on, Brother, get up…" He summoned a handful of green healing magic to press against Thor's battered temple, but it didn't stay there long.

The roar of approaching propulsion engines was Loki's only warning before he was suddenly thrown off Thor and pinned onto his back by Tony Stark in full Iron Man armor. Every weapon on the suit was aimed at the Jotun's head.

"You're supposed to be _dead,_ Reindeer Games, but apparently even that hasn't stopped you from trying to kill Thor _._ Well, guess what, you're gonna have to go through _me_ this time." Stark clearly wasn't kidding around, but having just narrowly escaped Thanos' wrath, Loki was hardly intimidated.

He rolled his eyes without struggling and growled, "Get off me, Anthony, you have bigger problems to worry about now."

"If there's a 'bigger problem' than your ass falling out of the sky back into New York, I don't want to know what it is." The painful pressure on Loki's chest increased. "So did he shoot his eye out with a Red Ryder BB gun, or was that patch a gift from you?"

"No, that would have come from our sister – a lovely woman, you really _must_ meet her sometime."

That won him a moment of hesitation and confusion from Tony.

"It's all right, Stark," Thor interjected beside them, though he still hadn't risen. "Loki is here as an ally."

The Iron Man helmet spared him a glance. "Thor, buddy, I know it's been a while, and it's great to see you, even if you are stealing Fury's one-eyed thunder. But you must've hit your head a little too hard on that crappy landing if you seriously think Earth's old enemy wants to help us."

The distraction finally gave Loki an opportunity to flip Stark off him, with a little magic for extra push; but instead of engaging the man in a fight, he obstinately ignored him and helped Thor to his feet.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

The God of Thunder certainly didn't look all right, bruised and bloodied as he was. He was also furious, as the sudden, bruising force of his grip on Loki's neck would testify.

"How could you do that?" he demanded without preamble, shaking him a little. "Heimdall and Banner are still back there, and you _left_ them!"

Loki didn't blink, though his eyes stung. "Better them than you," he whispered back.

"Banner?" Stark repeated in amazement, opening the visor on his helmet. "Rewind that a minute, do you guys actually know where Bruce is? Why didn't you bring him with you?"

Loki couldn't bring himself to explain nor to apologize, no matter how Thor kept glaring at him as though betrayed. Only it wasn't betrayal this time, and the Trickster would make the same choice again in a heartbeat.

But then a different kind of portal opened near them, a ring of glittering orange sparks, and Loki had an abrupt flashback of endless _falling_ before Dr. Stephen Strange stepped out. Both sorcerers exchanged a snide glance that clearly said, "You again?"

"Tony Stark, Thor," Strange addressed them. "I need you both to come with me. As some of you already know, it's no understatement to say the fate of the universe is at stake. Your friend has already told me what's coming."

Thor's brows furrowed. "What friend?"

"Hey, guys." Bruce Banner, no longer the Hulk, stepped out from behind Strange and gave them a little wave. "Thanks for ditching me back there; that was real cool – although maybe not surprising," he added with a glare at Loki, who put on his most charming smile.

"Better to leave you behind than the Tesseract," he countered.

Tony just gaped, stunned anew when his friend and fellow scientist embraced him even through the armor. "What's going on?" he murmured, to anyone who would answer him. No one did.

"Banner, how did you get here?" A bewildered Thor had finally found his voice.

"Your gatekeeper, Heimdall," Bruce explained worriedly. "He sent me here on that rainbow bridge…but Thanos was already _so_ pissed when the two of you got away. And then to lose me too…there's no way he let anyone else live after that."

"We should continue this discussion back at Sanctum Sanctorum," Strange insisted, with a meaningful glance at the mass of people now gathered around them. "If you'll all just come with me like I asked?"

* * *

When they arrived at the Sanctum, Thor was even more livid, and he turned the full volume of his divine ire upon his brother once the group was in a private setting.

"Heimdall is dead, Loki, you know he is! He was alive when you abandoned him!"

The younger prince bore the tirade as best he could. "I assure you his death brings me no pleasure, if that's what you think, but it would have happened anyway. He was already gravely wounded, and I barely managed to get the two of us off that ship."

"But there was still a chance…"

"No, Thor, you had your chance!" Loki finally snapped. "You had every opportunity to defend him, but you _couldn't._ And neither could the Hulk, I take it?" He sent a sideways glance at Bruce, who only shuddered in confirmation of his green counterpart's defeat. "Instead, Brother, you will have another chance to make good on your Midgardian title and 'avenge' him. Avenge all of our people, for that matter!"

Stark broke in now, almost as aggravated as Thor. "Will someone please just tell me what the _hell_ is going on here? What sort of enemy are we talking about who could beat up Thor and the Hulk in one sitting?"

"The same enemy who sent me to this planet for the Tesseract six years ago," Loki supplied bitterly. "Who do you think gave me that scepter, or lent me use of the Chitauri?"

"What's his name?" Tony pressed, and Thor's deep voice rumbled the answer.

"Thanos, the Mad Titan."

"He's a plague, Tony," added Bruce. "He invades planets and wipes out half the population, and now he's coming here!"

"But why here? What does Earth have that he could want so badly?"

"Infinity Stones."

That was Wong, Strange's associate, who then went on to explain the origin and nature of the six powerful singularities which Thanos so coveted.

He concluded, "With all six Stones, Thanos could easily end half of all life in the universe as we know it; he would be impossible to stop."

"But it's already impossible!" Banner wrung his hands. "He didn't even break a sweat back on that ship, and that was only with one Infinity Stone."

"The Power Stone," Thor informed them, "the best Stone to use as a weapon. A Kree warlord nearly wiped out an entire planet with it not long ago, and Thanos will do even worse. It alone makes him the most powerful being in existence."

"Okay, so where are the other five?" Stark began to pace while listing them off. "Vision has the Mind Stone, and Thunder and Lightning somehow have the Tesseract, which leaves Time, Reality, and Soul."

"The Time Stone is right here." Strange solemnly revealed the glowing green gem around his neck. "Here at the Sanctum, we are charged with protecting it."

"That's good to know, but it also puts half of the Infinity Stones on Earth. Now I get why he's coming here."

"No one knows where the Soul Stone is," Thor continued, "but the Reality Stone, also called the Aether, has for several years been on Knowhere in the care of an ancient being known as the Collector."

"What does he collect?" asked Wong.

Loki answered, "Anything and everything, from all corners of the cosmos. Trinkets, relics, documents, exotic flora…and live specimens of every species he can come by. The sheer scale of his Collection encompasses multiple planets."

"And you gave him an Infinity Stone?" Tony scoffed. "That sounds like a terrible idea!"

"Or a brilliant one." Thor nodded towards his brother. "Even if someone knew the Collector had the Aether, actually finding it in his Collection would prove a daunting feat. I suspect Thanos will pursue it next."

Loki nodded. "I agree. If I were him, that would be my next move; to combine Power and Reality would be truly devastating to his foes. In the meantime, he can send his Black Order to Earth to fetch Mind and Time."

"What about you?" the other sorcerer broke in sharply. "Where do you plan on taking the Space Stone?"

"To Knowhere, of course. Depriving Thanos of the Tesseract means he must continue to travel by conventional means, whereas I can do so instantly. It give us an advantage of time, but not much. His ship _is_ a formidable craft, and if we are to reach Knowhere ahead of him, we must go at once."

"Who's the 'we' in that sentence, Prima Donna? You and the mouse in your pocket, as my grandma used to say?"

Loki frowned in confusion. "If a mouse in one's pocket is required, I could certainly conjure one…but do you mean to say that I'm being trusted to go retrieve the Aether alone?"

Five voices immediately exclaimed, "NO!"

"Oh, well, thank goodness."

"I will accompany Loki to Knowhere to reclaim the Reality Stone," Thor volunteered, "and then you, Brother, are going to take me to Nidavellir."

Loki's green eyes glinted with sudden interest. "Time for a new hammer, oh mighty Thunderer?"

The god's voice turned steely. "Time for a new _something_. I'm sure as hell not going to fight Thanos bare-handed again. Until we get back, the rest of you must protect Vision and the Time Stone at all costs!"

"Yeah, about that…" Stark shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "You guys haven't been here in a while, so you probably don't know that the Avengers split up a couple years ago."

Bruce's jaw dropped. "Split up? What, you mean like the Beatles?"

"Rogers and I fell out hard; we haven't seen or spoken to each other since. Then Vision turned off his transponder and disappeared a few weeks back, which leads me to think he's defected over to Cap's side."

"His 'side'? Are we seriously talking like this now?"

Loki couldn't resist gloating. "I knew your merry band would self-destruct if given the opportunity, Stark. Evidently, it just needed a little more time."

That comment earned him a stern cuff on the arm from Thor, powerful enough to make him grimace.

He went on, "As much as we'd love to stay and hear all the tragic details of your separation, there simply isn't time. Banner, I wish you luck in talking some sense into your friend here; personally, I can think of no better time for a reconciliation. Thor, you're with me."

Loki summoned the Tesseract into his hand for their next trip, but he paused long enough to look Dr. Strange in the eye. "Sorcerer – no matter what happens, you must not let Thanos take the Time Stone, or else everything we have done and will do will be for naught. Surrender the Mind Stone if there is truly no alternative, but don't you dare let him have the Time Stone."

Strange must have sensed his earnestness. "I can't believe I'm agreeing with you, but I do understand. Just make sure the two of you come back once you pick up that Reality Stone. If you really are on our side now, we're going to need it."

"Oh, don't worry, Stephen, we'll be back. Let's not forget Anthony still owes me a drink; he also owes me for the mouse I just magicked into his pocket."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. It's also fair to say that I wouldn't be surprised if someone else is writing a story with a similar premise and I simply haven't seen it. In that case, I do apologize for the encroachment.

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 3**

It was a much smoother trip to Knowhere for the brothers, and this time they only stumbled out of the portal as it closed behind them.

"There, that wasn't so bad," Loki announced with no small pride, but apparently Thor couldn't resist teasing him.

"I don't know, Brother, I still stubbed my toe on that crate."

"Then perhaps you should take greater care where you step, Thor."

"Thor? Thor Odinson?" an eerie voice interrupted them. "Is it truly both Princes of Asgard who honor me with their presence this time?"

Loki stiffened a little at that unsettling presence and felt Thor do the same beside him. They turned as one, and there stood the man – the ancient _being_ – whom they had come to seek.

"Our greetings to you, Taneleer Tivan." The younger prince inclined his head ever so slightly, a salutation which the Collector reciprocated with an elaborate bow of his own.

"You are, of course, welcome." Tivan stepped closer. "However, I will admit this is a surprise…for what purpose could bring the sons of Odin to my most humble Collection?"

"I think you know perfectly well why we've come here." Thor's blue eye was stony, and judging by his tone, he was in no mood to trifle. "You will hand over the Aether to us at once."

The Collector sighed, sounding weary. "I confess I had suspected as much…yet you both arrived here by way of an Infinity Stone yourselves. Did you not give me the Reality Stone for safekeeping because it was dangerous to have two so near each other?"

"That may have been the case a few years ago," Loki answered. "You've performed your task admirably, and for that you have our gratitude. Unfortunately, forces greater than any of us are now in motion, and that Stone cannot remain here any longer."

"Perhaps, but I myself am not blind to the entity of which you speak. Is the Reality Stone truly any safer in your hands than my own, when the opposition is so strong? Would it not be wiser to keep it hidden than to wield it openly?"

"Enough! I will endure no more of this verbal sparring." Lightning danced around Thor's fingertips, and even without Mjolnir, his anger made him an intimidating figure. "Tivan, the King of Asgard entrusted the Aether into your guardianship, and now that same authority requires it back again. Word may or may not have reached you, but Odin is dead, and his rule has fallen to me. You can give the Reality Stone to us now, or you _will_ give it to Thanos – probably in a matter of hours. Whom would you rather see leave with it?"

The Collector hesitated, resistant, yet he had no might to oppose the God of Thunder in his wrath.

"Very well," he conceded at last. "If that is truly what you wish, then follow me."

Tivan turned and led them very slowly into the labyrinth of his life's work.

"Keep your eyes open," Thor murmured into his sibling's ear as they followed. "I still don't trust him."

Nevertheless, they walked through the Collection without incident; without any perilous incidents, at least. Unpleasant memories resurfaced in Loki's mind left and right when he saw both Chitauri and Dark Elf specimens housed nearby. Did Tivan have a Jotun in here somewhere as well? He soon wished he hadn't asked the question, even if only in his head.

The next bend in the maze brought him face-to-face with a tall cage coated in crystalline ice. A blue-skinned, red-eyed Frost Giant sat inside, and Loki's feet stopped as though frozen in place. The sight upset him, he realized – a great deal more than he would have expected. Was that because he saw one of his own people enslaved and on display? Or because he himself had spent most of his centuries believing that Jotuns were nothing better than animals to be locked away?

Loki eventually roused himself and moved on, lifting one eyebrow when they passed an area of the Collection that was clearly under renovation. If the Trickster didn't know better, he would guess that one of Tivan's acquisitions had literally blown up in his face.

"Remodeling here, are you?"

When no response came from the Collector ahead of him, Loki just smirked. The history of that room must be a touchy subject, indeed.

Meanwhile, the man was still leading them at what might generously be called a "leisurely" pace. Loki had barely fallen behind when he paused to linger in front of the Frost Giant, and Thor certainly wasn't known for his patience.

"Faster, Tivan," his brother growled. "We don't have time for the grand tour!"

"Fret not, young Asgardian. We have arrived."

The Collector had stopped in front of a simple black chest, which he now opened to reveal the Aether nestled on a pillow of rich red fabric. It still resided in the same small containment vessel as before. His gloved hands reverently lifted it out and, with obvious reluctance, surrendered the Reality Stone to Thor.

"As the King of Asgard commands."

Loki nodded his satisfaction. "Thank you for your cooperation. But if you value your life more than your Collection, Tivan, I suggest you leave this place immediately. The storm is coming, and it will not spare you, even if you've nothing left to offer it."

The brothers then took their leave, and as they exited the place, Thor handed the Aether over to Loki. "It is real, yes? Not some clever duplicate or decoy?"

The sorcerer chuckled in approval. "Your skepticism makes me proud, Thor; you are finally learning. But rest assured, this is the true Aether." He could tell by its magical signature.

"Can you use it? On Svartalfheim, you told me you could harness and wield its power."

"I don't recall using those exact words, but yes, that was the general idea. However, you also spoke true when you said that it would consume me. If there is a 'safe' way to wield this Infinity Stone, I do not yet know it. I will examine it more closely when we return to Midgard."

He didn't bother mentioning that he'd already studied the Aether during its brief stay in Asgard – after assisting with its "capture," but before handing it over to the Collector. His findings from back then didn't inspire much optimism for the future.

Loki stowed the Aether away in a magical pocket and brought forth the Cube again while his palm was still open.

"You know," he mused aloud, "one downside to using the Tesseract is that it eliminates the opportunity to rest during space travel."

Thor pondered that for a moment. "So…what are you saying? That you're tired?"

"No," Loki huffed, "I'm saying _you_ need to rest, Thor. I probably do too, to own the truth, but your need outweighs mine. You look as though you've been trampled by a herd of angry bilgesnipe."

"You don't exactly look like a field of daffodils yourself, Brother."

Loki winced. "I suppose we should have cleaned up a bit before marching in here and making demands as Asgardian royalty."

"Ah well," the elder shrugged. "We've got what we came for, so it makes no difference. At least the Dwarves of Nidavellir won't give two thoughts to our appearance. A bit of sweat and grime will help us blend in there."

 **Author's End Note:** Sorry for another short one, but I figured it was better than nothing before I go out of town for a week. Thanks for reading, and see you next time in Nidavellir!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 4**

Their next trip via the Tesseract passed without concern, yet Thor frowned deeply when they emerged from the portal into their destination.

"Brother, I think you missed. This isn't Nidavellir."

Loki looked around in confusion yet was inclined to disagree. "Yes, it is, Thor. Everything's just…dark. What in the Nine Realms happened here?"

Granted, this wasn't one of his favorite places to visit, as it had been the sight of particularly painful memories long ago; but it still unnerved him to see Nidavellir so utterly deserted. Light from the dying star should have illumined hundreds of Dwarves hard at work over their billows and forges. The brothers neither saw nor heard a single one as they walked along the rows of stone cold furnaces.

"Loki, look!" Thor pointed, and the younger prince followed his gaze to the mold of a huge, _familiar_ glove.

"Oh, no…" he breathed with dawning realization. Thanos had already been the doom of this realm, even before acquiring the Power Stone.

Before he could voice that revelation, however, Thor was suddenly flung backward by a blow from a shadowy figure twice his height. Loki hastily conjured a dozen illusions of himself to distract the enraged Dwarf who slashed through them with a club in search of the original. The Trickster ducked under it just in time to avoid a killer headache and summoned a dagger into his hand, when Thor called out:

"Eitri, stop, please! It's us – Thor and Loki."

"Thor?" The shadow slumped to the ground in a sitting position to reveal the shaggy, haggard ruler of Nidavellir. The Asgardian royals exchanged glances of amazement and approached warily.

"Eitri, the Gauntlet," Thor began in dismay. "What did you do?"

"I thought Thanos would spare my people if I complied with his demands; so I made him a device that could harness the power of all six Infinity Stones…and he slaughtered everyone anyway."

It looked as though huge tears would soon be spilling down the Dwarf's cheeks; and when he remembered the massacre of Asgardian refugees, Loki's heart stung in empathy.

His elder pressed on earnestly, "My friend, I need a new weapon – something potent enough to contend with and kill Thanos. Please, can you not help us?"

Eitri sighed miserably and nodded to a mold that had been discarded on the ground not far from them. "That is the Storm-breaker axe – intended for the King of Asgard, to be the mightiest weapon of all. In theory, it could even summon the Bifrost. But my hands…" Here he held up his arms to show that his hands had been amputated at the wrist and replaced by unfeeling lumps of metal. "Thanos spared my life, but he said my hands belong to him alone."

"Eitri, I am sorry." Thor's face was pained. "But not even Thanos can take away your knowledge. Every weapon you've ever designed is still in your head, and the mold is here. You tell us what needs to happen to make this axe, and I swear to you it will be done – anything!"

Loki looked at his brother sharply. Until now, he had been content to let Thor do the talking, not least of all because the Dwarves had always liked him better. However, even the King of Asgard might have overstepped his bounds in offering "anything."

"To forge the weapon, we must reawaken the heart of the star, and the only way to do that is by reactivating the spinning rings," explained Eitri.

At first, Loki didn't see much hope for accomplishing that – not as long as full use of the Reality Stone eluded him. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Thor's brain operated on a very different pattern of logic.

"Of course!" he exclaimed jubilantly. "All we need is a small ship and my sturdy feet to set these rings in motion again."

Now Loki comprehended the other's thinking; it was a frightfully easy task after so many centuries of practice. He pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated.

"Thor, we don't _have_ a ship. You do understand that's the whole point of the Tesseract, yes?"

As usual, his sibling remained undaunted. "Well, surely you can bring us someplace where we might acquire one."

"You mean _steal_ one."

Thor folded his arms across his broad chest. "Unless you have a better idea?"

Loki grudgingly realized he did not, so he said, "I assume you already have such a place in mind?"

"There were a lot of those hardy little mining pods back on Knowhere."

He wanted to scream…or strangle something. "We can't go to Knowhere, you idiot! That's where Thanos is most likely headed."

"How about Contraxia, then? We could steal a ship from there, and no one would think twice about it."

"Thor, that is…actually a very good idea; I'm impressed." Loki then turned to address Eitri. "Excuse us for a moment, won't you? We'll be right back."

* * *

Once the Tesseract had deposited them on Contraxia, Loki simply couldn't resist giving Thor a hard time about their situation. In times like these, his brother made it too easy.

"Are you sure it's appropriate for the new King of Asgard to resort to thievery? Wouldn't that be considered an abuse of your authority?"

"It's all for a noble cause," Thor replied stiffly. "Would you rather we find the intoxicated owner and ask politely?"

Instead, they found a small craft with power formidable enough to suit their needs, and Loki got them inside quite effortlessly. Thor had wanted to break in by force, before realizing that the resulting damage wouldn't be very conducive to space travel.

"I'll pilot," he announced when they were both settled inside. "Now, open another portal so we can take the ship through to Nidavellir."

"Of course. Should be no problem at all."

Contrary to Loki's expectations, it wasn't so easy bringing an entire ship (even a small one) through the portal. He closed it behind them prematurely, and the collapsing energy of the Tesseract shaved off the back part of the vessel. The rear thrusters failed instantly, which sent them crashing back into Nidavellir with a jarring thud. How fortuitous they had both been strapped in!

A moment of stunned silence hung between them, until Thor chimed in, "I think that was the worst landing of all, Brother."

"Oh, shut up!" Loki snapped irritably. "I'd like to see you do better."

"Once I have a weapon that can summon the Bifrost, I will." The Thunderer sounded entirely too smug.

"Let's just go back to Contraxia and try again; we're wasting time."

A second attempt did the trick, and before long, Loki found himself at the ship's controls while his brother swung them overhead on a tether. On cue, the younger prince fired up the engines and began to pull Thor along an inert ring behind them. He felt himself and the small craft jerk backward like a whip when Thor finally secured a foothold.

"More power!" his brother called, and Loki coaxed all he could from the groaning thrusters. After a tense moment, resistance gave way, and the giant rings started spinning to illuminate Nidavellir in all its glory.

The Trickster smiled as the heart of the star began to glow, proud in spite of himself. "Well done, Brother," he whispered.

They both rejoined Eitri shortly thereafter, only to have their collective spirits crushed by yet another blow.

"The mechanism for the forge is broken!" lamented Eitri. "I can't heat the metal to melting unless it stays open."

Thor, predictably, interpreted that as both a challenge and an invitation. "Then I'll _hold_ it open," he declared, and Loki with trepidation recognized that tone of unshakable resolve.

"Not so fast, Brother!" he interceded at once. Even Eitri supported his efforts in deterring this next endeavor.

"Boy, you'll be taking on the full might of a star for a matter of minutes. It will kill you!"

"Only if I die."

Norns, but Loki hated when his brother was so stupidly heroic! "No, Thor, he's right. This is suicide!"

"It _has_ to be done. I've no chance of defeating Thanos without that axe!"

When Thor tried to walk past, Loki grabbed him by the arm, determined not to let him do something so foolish. At least, not alone. "Then you're not doing this by yourself. Remember, I am your brother, and I am your equal!"

"Yes, you are." Thor grasped the back of his neck in that old, familiar gesture. "But you are also Jotun. There is ice in your blood, Brother, and whatever the power of that star does to me, it will do to you in half the time. I cannot let you be a part of this."

"And I am not going to let you kill yourself any more than I let Thanos kill you. As a Jotun-born sorcerer, I should at least be able to _help_ in some way."

Thor cautiously proposed, "I don't suppose you also grabbed the Casket of Ancient Winters on your last trip to the weapons vault?"

"No, I did not; now I'm beginning to regret it."

Loki's mind raced. There must be _something_ he could do! At last, his fluttering thoughts landed on something solid. "Eitri, do you have any kind of armor lying around here? Anything that might fit Thor?"

"I'm sure there is something, even if not the best fit." The Dwarf left them briefly before returning with a bulky load and dropping it at their feet.

"Put it on, Brother."

Thor turned up his nose. "Loki, you can't be serious! This armor is atrocious."

Loki wanted to reply that he'd seen worse…only he had not. The disgraceful body armor was likely the first foundling, fumbling efforts of some Dwarfish apprentice many years ago. Even so…

"You _have_ to wear it. No one but Eitri and I will see how appalling you look."

"But why is it so necessary?" His brother was practically whining now, and Loki uttered a long-suffering sigh.

"I'm going to use my limited knowledge of ice magic to charm it into staying cold, at least for a while. I doubt the shielding will hold for long, but it will buy you a little time."

Thor nodded his thanks, and once he had donned the ill-fitting armor, Loki laid his hands on it to commence the spell. It still felt foreign and uncomfortable, accessing his biological magic, yet he could overlook that if it meant protecting Thor from a veritable roasting.

As his brother left to position himself within the mechanism, Loki eyed the Storm-breaker mold with scrutiny and turned to Eitri. "Do you also have a handle readily available, for when the moment arrives?"

"Oh, right," the Dwarf bumbled in surprise. "I'll find one right now."

Shaking his dark head, the sorcerer watched him depart and muttered, "As usual, I'm the only one thinking ahead here."

Soon after, Thor and Eitri were both ready to begin.

"Let me know if my hands can be of service to you," Loki offered, driven primarily by concern for his stubborn sibling.

"Just position yourself over there with the ship," Eitri suggested, "in case you need to catch him after he lets go."

"Let us hope it doesn't come to that."

Nevertheless, Loki did as instructed and was powerless to do anything but watch while Thor exerted his full strength to pry open the device that would channel the star's energy into the forges. Listening to his brother scream in agony was no easier here than on Thanos' ship; it truly was torture of the cruelest kind! And when the enchanted armor broke away from Thor's body, unable to endure any more of the star's might, those screams actually intensified.

Loki couldn't bear to watch, yet no more could he afford to look away, lest Thor's grip should suddenly fail and send him hurtling into open space.

"Come on, Eitri, hurry!" he hissed, knowing full well the Dwarf could not hear him.

"Now, Thor!" Eitri finally shouted from his forge, and the relief was like an oasis in the desert.

When the Thunderer released his hold, Loki caught him with the ship and swiftly carried him down to survey the extent of his injuries. The Trickster knelt over his brother and immediately summoned his healing energies. Although the damage certainly could have been worse, it still took all of Loki's skill plus the presence of the brand new Storm-breaker to bring Thor back to consciousness.

All the same, the God of Mischief couldn't help commenting with a wry smile, "You do look a little sunburnt, Brother."

 **Author's End Note:** The next chapter will bring our boys back to Earth to find out what's been going on with the other Avengers. See you there, and thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Author's Note:** Happy Memorial Day to my readers in the United States, and thank goodness for an extra day off where I could focus on finishing this chapter. Enjoy, as we finally start assembling those scattered Avengers!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 5**

Once he was adequately recovered, Thor insisted on bringing them back to Midgard himself, to test Eitri's claims about Storm-breaker and the Bifrost. Loki acquiesced with minimal apprehension. His brother's consequent success landed them on a green lawn outside the Avengers' headquarters, and Loki instinctively tensed, anticipating another harsh welcome…but none came. All was quiet on the grounds, without a single soul in sight. There was a nearby quinjet, however, to indicate someone was at home.

With Thor leading the way, they entered the complex and followed the sound of voices to a partial gathering of the heroes, obviously headed by Captain America.

"Thor!" Steve Rogers' exclamation sounded more surprised than pleased. "You…got a haircut."

"And I see you've copied my beard." The new King smiled to greet the friends he hadn't seen in so long, a gesture which none of them returned on account of his companion.

"Thor, what is _he_ doing here?" Natasha Romanoff's voice was disturbingly calm. The blonde hair did nothing to disguise the hard set of her shoulders or the coldness of her regard. "You told us he was dead."

"So I believed he was, until quite recently."

"And let me guess, he suddenly wants to be on our side now?" one of the dark-skinned men stated.

Loki retorted, "Believe me, it's more a matter of necessity than want at this stage."

"Sam has a point," Rogers concurred with his friend. "You tried to take over the planet a few years ago. What can you possible offer to persuade us that you're trustworthy?"

"Would two Infinity Stones suffice?" At his summons, the Tesseract and the Aether materialized in his hands. "Perhaps you haven't heard the full extent of what's coming, but we're going to need these. You can trust me on that."

"And are you going to hand them over to us as a sign of goodwill?" asked the man whose legs were supported by mechanics.

Loki shamelessly twisted his face in disgust. "Why? So you can play keep-away with the most powerful entity in the universe? Don't be absurd! These Stones would be wasted in your mortal hands."

"Loki, that's enough," Thor chided him. "All the same, I do agree that these Stones should remain with my brother for the time being. We will need all the help we can get in the fight against Thanos, and Infinity Stones are not easily acquired or wielded." The God of Thunder surveyed their company again, and his countenance fell in an instant when he noticed one very conspicuous absence. "Where is Vision?"

The grief on their collective faces betrayed the news even before Rogers spoke. "He's dead, Thor. We went looking for him as soon as Bruce got a hold of me with his warning. Thanos came that same night, with a couple of his…henchmen, I guess. We did all we could, but it wasn't enough, especially against the Infinity Stone he already had. Now he has two. I'm so sorry."

Loki found himself disappointed but hardly surprised by that grave report; and unlike the others, he had no sentimental reason to mourn the being to whom the Mind Stone had been attached. "He was bound to get at least one more; it would have been unrealistic to expect otherwise. What news is there of Strange and the Time Stone?"

"Who?" Steve questioned.

"Dr. Stephen Strange," supplied Thor. "A wizard of sorts here on Earth, who also happens to be the keeper of the Time Stone. He was in the company of Stark and Banner last we saw."

"Banner's here now." Those words were spoken by the man himself, who had quietly appeared in the doorway behind them. "Hi, Nat."

Miraculously, the look those two shared was even more awkward than the glare she had leveled at Loki on his arrival.

"Another surprise entrance, Banner," Thor observed with short-lived amusement. "But what's become of the others?"

Bruce winced. "Two of Thanos' children appeared in New York shortly after you guys left, and they got away on a ship with Dr. Strange captured. That might be where Tony is, too – hopefully as a stowaway so he'll have a chance to help."

"You mean Thanos sent some of his children to Earth, and then came himself shortly afterward?" Loki could scarcely believe it himself. "That seems so utterly unnecessary; it makes no sense!"

"Which is why he did it, of course." Thor's insight flexed its muscles in that moment. "Loki, he must have anticipated our going to Knowhere ahead of him; it's the only explanation."

"So we focus on recovering Strange and Stark, then. Where might the Black Order be taking them?"

Banner cleared his throat uncertainly. "Before Heimdall sent me off that ship, I heard Thanos say something about a rendezvous on Titan. Is that a place? Titan?"

Loki nodded. "Yes, it is Thanos' home-world. How long ago was he on Earth?"

"Less than twelve hours ago."

"Then there should still be time for us to get there ahead of him and intercept the others."

"Should be?" Rogers echoed with eyebrows raised. "Is it worth risking?"

"We have no choice," the sorcerer concluded grimly. "The Time Stone must be kept from Thanos at all cost! What we cannot do is waste any more time here. Come on, Brother."

He then opened a portal for them with the Tesseract, pausing just long enough to consider bringing the Scarlet Witch along as well. Loki recognized her from Thor's description and knew of her powers, yet she was clearly too distracted to be of any help at the moment. Distraught over Vision's murder, no doubt. She would have her chance for revenge later, or so he hoped.

"Meet us in Wakanda when you come back!" Captain America shouted out just as the portal closed behind them.

* * *

When the yellowish atmosphere of Titan coalesced around them, the brothers were greeted by a much larger and more varied crowd than they had anticipated. Strange and Stark were there, along with two other humans, one a middle-aged man and the other little more than a child. The rest of the gaggle had to be the oddest assortment of life forms Loki had ever encountered – a muscular male with a stern face, a fragile-looking female with antennae, a surly raccoon boasting a full arsenal of weapons, and an adolescent Groot who refused to look up from the handheld game it was playing. Fortunately, there was no sign of Thanos!

The two groups stared at one another in shock for a few heartbeats, before Thor finally broke the silence. "We were only expecting to find two people here. Who the hell are you guys?"

"We're the Guardians of the Galaxy," the unknown human announced defensively. "Who the hell are _you_?"

The God of Thunder drew himself to full imposing height. "I am Thor Odinson, the King of Asgard."

"Asgard?" the raccoon spat, accusing. " _You're_ the ones who got us into this mess in the first place!"

Thor frowned now, confused. "What do you mean?"

"We answered your ship's distress signal, and all we found were a bunch of corpses – plus Thanos!"

"He was still there when you arrived?" Loki asked shrewdly.

"Yeah, he was, and none too happy," answered the human. "What did you guys do to piss him off so badly?"

"We escaped with the Tesseract – and with our lives."

"We barely did, after fighting with him. He ran off as soon as he had Gamora."

"Who?"

"She's his daughter – his _step_ daughter; but believe me, she hates him as much as you do. She's one of us, and we have to get her back!"

"Is that why you came to Titan, then?" Stark interjected. "You're hoping he'll bring her here?"

The Guardians exchanged uneasy looks, until the delicate female spoke. "We're here because we received a call from…an associate."

"A reliable associate?" Tony pressed.

"We think so?"

At that moment, a small ship appeared in the sky above them, and the female creature gasped. "That's her!"

"Are you sure it isn't Thanos?"

"Yes, I'm sure! If it was him, I would know it."

How interesting; Loki would have to learn more about her particular gifts later on.

Meanwhile, the ship had landed nearby, and a blue-skinned female emerged, although her body appeared be comprised more of machinery than flesh. She jogged over to them at once, her face anxious.

"What's going on, Smurfette?"

She gave their group a cursory examination, then replied, "I just escaped from Thanos' ship. He has the Mind and Power Stones, and now he's gone to Vormir to find the Soul Stone."

"The Soul Stone?" Thor's jaw dropped. "How does he know where it is?"

"Gamora knows…and she told him to save my life. He took her there with him."

Doctor Strange sighed heavily. "Then I think we have to assume he'll get it."

"No shit, Sherlock!" Tony exclaimed, earning him a few puzzled stares.

"That will give him three, and leave us with three," deduced Loki, almost to himself. "I'd say we're fairly matched, then, for a war with the Infinity Stones."

Strange caught that implication and looked up sharply. "You have the Reality Stone?"

"Yes, but we're in no state to use it just yet. We should all go back to Earth immediately and plot our next move."

"I'm not so sure," Stark disagreed. "We were thinking it would be a better idea to confront Thanos here, on his own turf when he's not expecting it."

"That was before we had any viable means of returning to Earth," countered the Doctor. "I think now it would ultimately be best to regroup there with all our allies and fully utilize the assets at our disposal – including the Reality Stone."

"But if we end up devastating Earth with another super-scale battle…"

"Anthony," Loki broke in, "remember that I have the Tesseract, and Stephen can conjure portals of his own. We can potentially move the coming battle anywhere we like, if necessary."

That reassurance seemed to sway Iron Man to their side, and soon the entire company was determined to make the return journey to Earth.

"If we're going to leave, we had best do so quickly." The sorcerer nodded to his brother. "Thor, with this many people involved, I shall happily defer to you and the Bifrost."

"I am Groot."

"Whoa!" The human child nearly jumped in surprise, and Stark had to steady him with a hand on his slender shoulder. "I didn't know the tree could actually talk!"

Thor grinned but was more preoccupied with the first speaker. "I assure you, traveling by the Bifrost is perfectly safe. There is nothing to worry about."

"I am Groot?"

"Oh yes, you'll love Earth! They have plenty of trees there."

The raccoon's narrow little eyes watched their exchange in disbelief. "You speak Groot?"

"Of course!" Thor beamed. "It was an elective on Asgard."

"I got higher marks in the subject," Loki muttered to anyone close enough to hear him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. AU for Infinity War, following the revised adventures of Loki and Thor. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Author's Note:** With this story being so heavily focused on Loki and Thor (and being told from Loki's perspective), I'm shamelessly glossing over a lot of other characters and storylines - including the highly anticipated reunion between Tony and Steve. That's going to be a BIG moment, and I just don't feel I could do it justice in this story, so I'm not even going to try. However, we will see Doctor Strange become a much bigger part of the plot, beginning with this chapter. I was going to wait until tomorrow for this, but I had a rough day at work, and posting a new chapter makes me feel better about life, the universe, and everything. Enjoy!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 6**

A slew of introductions took place upon their return to Earth, finally giving names to the many faces Loki did not recognize. Young King T'Challa of Wakanda welcomed his eccentric visitors with admirable poise, and the only thing more difficult than convincing all of them to accept Loki's presence was persuading Stark and Rogers to be in the same room together. The rest of the Avengers were tackling that problem now, trying to coax a harmonious coexistence between a feral cat and a rabid dog. Loki was only too happy to leave them to it.

In the meantime, Doctor Strange approached him with the proposition of slipping away to Sanctum Sanctorum to study the Aether together. Loki thought that a marvelous idea, but when Thor expressed a desire to go with them, he objected.

"You would be much better served staying here and helping with the battle preparations," he reasoned. "Or you could actually get some rest, for a change!"

Thor pouted yet obliged, much to Loki's relief.

"I don't suppose you dabble in potions much?" he asked Strange as the two of them were about to depart.

"Not particularly." The wizard raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because I would very much like to brew a sleeping concoction for my pig-headed brother before Thanos arrives, but without the proper ingredients, it's only wishful thinking."

"In that case, sorry, I can't help you. Do you really think he would drink it?"

"Gracious, no!" Loki scoffed. "I would have to trick him into doing so – not that it would be difficult. I've done as much many times in the past."

Amusement glinted in the man's eyes as he drew up a portal for them. "Come on. I promise we'll have plenty of time to figure out the Reality Stone back at the Sanctum."

The Time Stone turned one hour of research and experimentation into ten, yet in the end, the two sorcerers were no nearer to unlocking the potential of the Aether.

Loki rubbed at his tired eyes and commented, for lack of anything better, "You do have an impressive library here, Stephen, despite its being restricted to a single realm. It was awfully generous of you to bring me here, considering how our first meeting went. I'm surprised you trust me."

"When did I ever say that I did?" Strange challenged. "I only trust that you deem helping us to be in your best interest – and your brother's – for the time being."

"That's very perceptive of you. I'm certainly not here for any charitable purpose."

"Obviously. So you should know right now that if you show any sign of undermining our cause, I will not hesitate to send you falling again for the rest of your miserable existence."

The Trickster actually smiled at that. "How refreshing to hear you say so. Now that Thor seems to trust me unreservedly again, my mischief is going through a bit of an identity crisis. Your continued threats and suspicion are most invigorating."

"Really, an identity crisis?" Strange reiterated blandly. "Spare me the drama, you're as bad as Stark. Let's just start from the beginning again and take another logical walk through what we know about this Reality Stone."

Loki let out a heavy sigh but did as asked. Frustrating as it may be, they didn't have many alternatives.

"The Aether is unique in that it is fluid by nature and therefore arguably the most difficult Infinity Stone to control; in many ways, it operates as an independent entity with a will of its own. For all its potential, it is also exceedingly dangerous. To alter reality is its intended purpose, but that is a subtle, difficult work which we may not be able to fully achieve. I believe only Thanos' Gauntlet could condense it into a Stone for most effective use."

"And without that Gauntlet, what other options do we have?"

"Not many, as the last ten hours have proven," the Jotun admitted grimly. "We would have to use it as Malekith did a few years ago – by offering up an inherently powerful host who also possesses sufficient magic to direct it. That would at least allow us to use the Reality Stone as a weapon…but any such host would eventually be consumed, once he or she had no strength left for the Aether to take. It grants immense power in exchange for the life force of the host."

Strange stood and began pacing. "Is there no way to withdraw it after the fact?"

Loki shook his head slowly. "None that I know of; not even Odin could pull it from Jane Foster when she was its host. Malekith was able to do so, but I suspect his genetic makeup as a Dark Elf made him more attuned to the Aether. It probably would have destroyed him too, in the end."

"Hypothetically," the mortal stated cautiously. " _If_ we were desperate enough to consider going that route…who among our allies might be potential hosts?"

Loki threw his head back and laughed outright, not caring that he probably sounded mad. "Oh Stephen, it was inevitable that we should arrive here, was it not? Although Wanda Maximoff has formidable power derived from the Mind Stone, it is not compatible with the Reality Stone. She lacks the _magic_ required for such a task; not even Thor, with all his elemental might, could command it. The Aether will _inhabit_ anyone and lash out to protect its host; but of our allies, I believe only a sorcerer such as you or I could actually _wield_ it with intention."

Strange ceased his pacing, although the magical cloak on his shoulders continued to twitch nervously. "My first concern is the Time Stone, and there's no telling how the Reality Stone might jeopardize or interfere with my use of it."

"Indeed," Loki concurred. "Should things go poorly for us, the Time Stone may very well prove invaluable; we cannot risk hindering your abilities with it. There's no denying I am the obvious choice for a host – but that doesn't mean I'm offering to commit suicide."

"Wait!" Strange exclaimed suddenly. "I have an idea. What if I could reverse Time on the Reality Stone after the battle, to bring it back to when it was still contained in this vessel? Would that change things?"

Almost against his will, the Trickster felt a fragile flicker of hope spring to life inside him. "That depends. _Could_ you do it?"

"I can find out."

Moments later, the man sat cross-legged on the floor with the Time Stone glowing green around his neck. He had said he would go into the future to view possible conclusions, and even for Loki with his understanding of magic, it was an unnerving thing to witness from the outside. Strange's body twitched, and his face contorted as he passed from present into future and back again. Over and over and over…

Eventually, the Jotun diverted his attention to the Reality Stone where it sat cradled in his lap. "It's ironic, isn't it?" he mused quietly. "All this time, I worried about the Tesseract coming back to haunt me; now I realize I should have given more thought to you."

When Strange finally returned to the present for good, he slumped over with exhaustion, and Loki reflexively grasped him by the shoulders to prevent him from falling.

"What did you see?" he asked, half-dreading the answer.

The overwhelmed sorcerer shook his head as though to settle his jumbled thoughts. "I saw millions of possible outcomes," he reported around his labored breathing. "At this point, any scenario where we win has the Reality Stone inside you – as do plenty where we lose."

Loki's blood ran cold in a way that had nothing to do with his heritage. "And did you see if you could remove it afterward, by use of the Time Stone?"

"I saw some instances where we could, and just as many where we could not. With so many other variables at play, it's impossible to know which outcome we'll get if we let it have you."

"Still, it sounds like a sporting chance, which is more than I was willing to give myself just a few minutes ago."

The prince weighed his options, processing the latest information. Nothing was guaranteed – neither victory nor defeat, neither life nor death. If it were Thor's life at stake, he wouldn't risk it; but his own life…that just might be worth the gamble. A gamble he alone could take.

He thought of his own torment, of his own screams, back in that cold, heartless space between the worlds, while the Mad Titan looked on in approval. He thought of his brother, slowly succumbing to the agonizing touch of the Power Stone – and suddenly he didn't need to think any further.

"I'll do it."

Strange blinked in genuine surprise. "What? Are you sure?"

"Would I have said as much, if I didn't mean it?"

"Possibly, given your reputation as the God of Lies. I didn't expect you to reach a decision so quickly; you don't strike me as the heroic type."

"You mean a sentimental fool like Thor?" Loki snorted derisively. "Of course not; I never have been. Just do us all a favor and don't tell him there's a chance you might not be able to remove it."

"And if it turns out I can't?"

He clenched his fists, still trying to convince himself of what must be true. "If my life is forfeit, it is a small price to pay for the end of Thanos." _And the preservation of Thor._

Strange smiled knowingly. "Now I see why you didn't want your brother here with us. He would never approve of this."

"I don't need his 'approval' for anything!" Anger flashed like green fire in Loki's eyes, but it faded quickly. "Presuming Thanos doesn't kill me first, my only regret, if this fails, is that Thor will have to watch me die…and mourn me…once again."

"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't come to that."

The earnestness of those words touched him, and Loki nodded serenely. "That's very kind of you, Stephen, and I naturally wish you every success; nevertheless, the risks are what they are. Let's get to it."

With Strange on the far side of the room, hopefully at a "safe" distance, Loki drew a deep breath and released the Reality Stone's holding device. It gushed through the slightest opening like a torrent breaking free of a dam, startling Loki so that he dropped the vessel. Thank the Norns, it didn't shatter! They would need that at the conclusion of this experiment…regardless of how it ended.

The Aether vanished against his flesh in an instant, and a flash of red, searing pain drove him to his hands and knees. He clamped his eyes shut against it with a cry, barely clinging to consciousness while the Aether warred and raged against his own magic. His head swam dizzyingly, and he couldn't _breathe!_ At last, the two forces came to terms and balanced out inside him, although he knew the scales would tip a little further in favor of the Stone with each passing day.

He remained crouched on the floor, gasping to catch his breath as the anguish subsided, and all too keenly aware of the fresh power shimmering under his skin. When finally he opened his eyes, all light had dimmed and become tinged with scarlet – reminiscent of the times he'd gazed through his true Jotun sight.

He clumsily sought to get his legs underneath him, feeling as graceful as a newborn colt. Something soft and supple was helping him to rise, supporting him. It was Strange's cloak. The man himself still stood off to one side, looking anxious but wary of touching or even approaching the Aether's new host. It was probably wise of him.

It took Loki a few moments longer to become steady on his own two feet, even with the cape's assistance. The garment dutifully returned to its master once he was stable.

"How do you feel?"

"Like one of Thor's lightning blasts, right before it leaves his fingers."

Strange approached him slowly, still leery of any violent outbursts. "Is it safe to rejoin the others?"

"I don't see why not; I feel the Aether is quite content inside me. Only remember, as far as Thor need know, there will be no difficulty whatsoever getting it out of me afterward."

The look on Strange's face said _that_ was going to go over well. "Right – because what could possibly go wrong?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. An Infinity War AU for those who wanted to see Loki play a larger role. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Author's Note:** So I'm sure plenty of others have ideas similar to the one presented in this chapter, but it works well within the story, so I'm going to roll with it anyway. Ugh, I truly dislike writing strategy/battle/action content, yet it must be done if I'm ever to reach all that happens afterward. Thanks for reading!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 7**

Doctor Strange's portal returned the two sorcerers to Wakanda, inside the massive energy shield. Although constructed by mortals, the technology of this country was impressively advanced and could only help the Avengers in their cause.

Natasha Romanoff was first to greet them.

"How is it going with Stark and Rogers?" Strange asked when he saw her.

"Like trying to mix oil and water. Still, they are communicating – with Stark using the rest of us like carrier pigeons to deliver his messages. At least they're admittedly on the same side." She squinted, taking a closer look at Loki. "What happened to your eyes? They're darker all of a sudden."

Ah, damn. If she could discern the difference, then certain _others_ were bound to as well.

"It's nothing you need worry yourself over," he dismissed flippantly. "Rest assured, I did this for your own good."

"I hope you don't seriously expect me to believe that. You looking for someone?" she added, no doubt observing the way Loki's eyes scanned the people coming and going behind her.

In truth, he was watching for Thor; but rather than admit as much, he improvised, "I was just wondering if Agent Barton might have shown up here since our departure. It's almost distressing not to find him at your side."

Natasha's mouth set in a hard line that warned him not to wade any deeper into those waters. "Clint's with his family," she declared with finality. "They're his foremost priority right now."

"As well they should be. Tell me, did he and Laura ever have the third child they had been wanting?"

That threw her off, as expected, although her face betrayed it only for an instant. Then she smiled. "Yes, actually, they did. They named him Nathaniel after me."

Loki's own grin broadened. This woman was one of the best verbal sparring partners he'd encountered in a long, long time. "How quaint! Did no one suggest that I should be child's namesake?"

Her pretty eyes narrowed dangerously, yet she never had a chance to retaliate because –

"There you are, Brother!"

Thor.

Loki steeled himself for the inevitable and glanced to ensure Strange was still close at hand. He would need the man's support here, much as he hated to admit it.

"How fared your efforts with the Reality Stone?" Thor approached them wearing a jovial smile; it disappeared the moment he saw Loki's face, and his blue eye widened in horror. "Loki, what did you do?" he demanded, although it was clear he already knew.

Loki held up his hands to placate. "Thor, Brother, please listen. I know it's a lot to ask, but you must trust me on this. It was the only way we could make use of the Stone, and you know we're going to need it."

"But _you_ know what it means, letting that thing inside you! How could you do this without consulting me first?"

He had to harden his heart against the fresh shock and betrayal in Thor's voice. "Because you would have fought against it, and we don't have time for that now."

"We won't be able to remove it; not even Father could have done that. The Aether will kill you, Brother!"

Now Strange chose to intervene. "Not necessarily, Thor. When this is all over, I'll use the Time Stone to reverse the Reality Stone out of Loki's body and back into its containment vessel."

Thor's angry glower softened somewhat. "You are sure about this?"

"Absolutely. I looked into the future myself and saw that it could be done."

The mortal stated that half-truth with such conviction it made Loki's heart proud! It also seemed to appease his brother.

"You could have told me as much from the beginning," Thor chastised his sibling in relief, completely oblivious to the uneasy look the other two shared behind his back.

* * *

Within that same hour, T'Challa assembled all of them to take counsel before Thanos' imminent attack. The king had already made preparations with Wakanda's armies and her allies, but now it was time to address the biggest question of all: how did they stop the Mad Titan with three Infinity Stones in his possession?

Stark and Rogers were both miraculously present, albeit seated on opposite ends of the long conference table. They never made eye contact, not that Loki could see; yet every so often, one of them would steal a glance at the other with traces of regret or longing heavy in their eyes. Loki knew that look well; he had worn it himself more than once while gazing at Thor. If the two of them could find reconciliation (more or less), then surely there was hope for Iron Man and Captain America. They just needed to remember how they complimented and completed one another in a way no one else could.

In regards to strategy, the Guardians were quick to suggest using Mantis' empathic powers to sedate or immobilize their enemy; but if Thanos now wielded the combined might of the Soul and Mind Stones, it gave reason to doubt if her abilities would be sufficient for the task. It was difficult to say, of course; however, if they guessed wrong, it would quickly get her killed and leave them with no backup plan.

Banner spoke next, the first time he had done so since their congregating. "I've been thinking," he began slowly. "When we fought those two Children of Thanos in New York, Wong sent one of them through a portal, and when he closed it, it cut off the guy's arm. Is there any reason we couldn't do the same thing to Thanos?"

"I think you're on to something there, Big Green!" Tony interjected excitedly. "If we can separate Thanos from the Stones, killing him suddenly becomes a whole lot easier. I mean, wouldn't that work?"

He then turned to Strange, who frowned pensively.

"I don't see why not; but if we're going to amputate, we'll need to be surgically precise from start to finish."

"Quite so," Thor rumbled in agreement. "That Gauntlet was made by the finest craftsmen in the universe, and it will be well-nigh indestructible, even against one of the wizard's portals. Thanos' arm must be severed _above_ the Gauntlet. Once that's done, I will strike him down with the Storm-breaker axe and avenge my people whom he slaughtered."

A ripple of awe and appreciation passed through the room at his brother's bold words, and Loki couldn't ignore a twinge of pride. The God of Thunder had grown exponentially in leadership and character since his banishment to Midgard long ago.

Strange continued, quickly recapturing everyone's attention. "The timing will be the most difficult aspect, and we'll only get one shot at it, once Thanos figures out what we're trying to do. He'll need to be stationary and distracted, with his arm outstretched for at least a couple of seconds to give me the opportunity."

"I think I could arrange that, if I can get close enough," Loki volunteered suddenly. "Even now, I know I'm not powerful enough to destroy Thanos directly – but he may believe me foolish enough to try. Our…history together, plus two Infinity Stones makes me irresistible bait; I imagine he would happily stretch out his arm if it meant a chance to strangle me. All must be done in the name of distraction, to give Thor and Stephen their chance."

Thor's expression said he clearly wasn't happy with that idea; then again, he was less than pleased with much of his brother's recent activity.

"And what if Thanos just kills you as soon as he gets his hands on you? Remember, we're talking about the same guy who beat the crap out of the Hulk." Bruce sounded genuinely concerned – a touching sentiment, even if his anxiety no doubt focused on their plan as a whole rather than on Loki's wellbeing.

He acknowledged, "That is an undeniable risk; however, I can ask for no better defense mechanism than the one currently dwelling inside me. I believe the Reality Stone will keep me, its host, alive long enough to provide us with the opportune moment."

"Then Thor can deliver the killing blow, but only _after_ Thanos has been separated from the Gauntlet," Strange concluded. "You will need to hold back until that exact moment, Thor, otherwise all your power won't be enough."

"I understand, and I will not fail."

"And the rest of us?" Rogers questioned. "What should we do?"

Surprisingly, Nebula had the answer. "Thanos won't come here alone. He'll have the rest of my _siblings_ with him, as well as a large army."

"The Chitauri again?"

"Possibly. If not them, something even worse. Believe me, there will be plenty to keep you occupied."

"My army will be ready to meet his," T'Challa stated firmly. "No matter what he sends against us, the Wakandan spirit will not break."

The meeting concluded with finishing touches to their plan, and then the Captain encouraged everyone to get as much sleep as possible. For night had fallen, and the universal, unspoken premonition was that Thanos would arrive at dawn.

* * *

Instead of resting, however, Loki stole away into the jungle by himself. He had made sure Thor was snoring contentedly first, but he needed this time alone to better acquaint himself with the Reality Stone. His senses seemed sharper now, highly attuned to every buzz and rustle in the darkness.

When he came to a suitable spot, he began his experiments, attempting to change the state, shape, and even composition of whatever was in reach. The power at his command now was immense, thrilling! Was this how Thor felt all the time, with his lightning? Like a colossal maelstrom barely contained behind walls of flesh?

His venture soon proved a frustrating experience, unfortunately, with far more failure than success. Of course, the Aether was more inclined to blast things into oblivion and simply _erase_ their reality (as its last host had intended), and Mother Nature paid the price for Loki's repeated failures.

Still, hours later he had managed a few successes – warping and then straightening tree limbs, or crumbling a couple of boulders into gravel before building them back up again. The Jotun focused his efforts on a nearby python as well, although he did return the creature to its normal state at the end; he liked snakes too much to leave it as a tree root permanently.

He also thought it wise to practice a bit with the Tesseract again, just to make sure he could still use it with the Aether inside him. Though he found he couldn't operate both Stones simultaneously, the Cube still responded when he gave it his undivided attention. Loki opened a portal, not caring to where exactly, and temptation at once whispered in his ear like a seductive mistress.

How easy it would be, to simply step through and disappear. To take the two Stones at his disposal and flee as far and as fast as possible. He could run and hide for a very long time, with the Tesseract.

Indeed, he _was_ tempted in light of what was to come…yet he could not he bring himself to actually go. How could he desert Thor now? Not to mention he would lose any chance of being saved from the Aether if he left. Truly, no choice remained but to see this through.

Strange stood waiting for him when he came back inside the city's shield – as though he knew what Loki had been doing and didn't expect the Trickster to return.

"How did it go out there?"

Loki shrugged casually. "The Reality Stone and I don't exactly see eye to eye, yet we did make some progress together. I can also still use the Tesseract if need be, although not both at the same time."

"So all three of you are ready, then?"

"As ready as we'll ever be."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. An Infinity War AU for those who wanted to see Loki play a larger role. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Author's Note:** I think a handful of challenging days in a row deserves a Loki update. We've arrived at the battle scene here - and this time, I leave the grittier details to the reader's fully capable imagination. Enjoy!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 8**

"Hey, you up there!"

The Princes of Asgard exchanged puzzled glances before looking down to find the heavily armed raccoon from Titan. Loki had already developed a fondness for this snarky little creature.

"Yeah, you – the big blonde pirate angel. If you're planning to go toe-to-toe with Thanos, you're gonna want two good eyes." Rocket rummaged through the pouch at his side and soon held aloft what was unmistakably an eyeball. "Here – I stole this off a guy on Contraxia; looks like you need it more than I do."

Thor smiled at the unexpectedly kind offer. "Thank you, sweet Rabbit."

Rocket muttered something unintelligible under his breath and moved along, while Thor popped in his new eye and blinked repeatedly to acclimate his vision. The color didn't match the original, however, so Loki raised a hand to his brother's face and easily magicked the iris to the proper shade of blue.

But then Thor grasped his wrist while it was still raised in front of him, his expression suddenly earnest. His other hand came up to cradle the back of Loki's neck.

"Loki…Brother, whatever else may happen today, I want you to know that I'm glad you're here with me. And if I should die with you by my side…then truly, I can think of no finer ending."

Loki allowed himself a sentimental squeeze of his sibling's hand. "You're not going to die today, Thor; not if there's anything I can possibly do to prevent it."

"I hope you will guard your own life just as jealously." Thor's fingers tightened in his hair. "We are not likely to be near each other once the battle begins, and I don't care to think of you doing something else foolish when I'm not there to stop you."

"Normally I'm the one tasked with preventing _your_ foolishness." Loki pulled out of the other's hold now and held his gaze steadily. "It's time. Thanos' ships have been spotted approaching Wakanda, and we must get into position along with the others. But I promise you, Brother, this is not goodbye; the sun will shine on us beyond this day."

* * *

On his way to the front lines, the Trickster paused beside a metal behemoth that looked like a bulkier version of the Iron Man suit.

"Anthony?" he called quizzically. "Is that you?"

The behemoth waved at him. "Hey, Loki. It's actually Bruce in here."

Loki's jaw dropped. "Banner? What are you doing inside that…ghastly contraption of Stark's? Where is the Beast?"

The machine gave its best impression of a shrug. "I've been trying ever since we got back to Earth, but he won't come out."

"Won't come out?" His incredulity knew no bounds. "Would he 'come out' if I let him smash me again?"

"Are we really that desperate?"

"Not yet, but we may quickly become so."

Indeed, the enemy ships had landed, and now the Mad Titan himself was approaching Wakanda's energy shield with his Children following close behind. As yet, the rest of his army was nowhere to be seen; doubtless they remained hidden under the jungle canopy, awaiting their summons.

The Soul Stone had joined Mind and Power upon Thanos' Gauntlet, confirming for Loki and the rest what the Guardians had already feared. Their Gamora was dead. The one who called himself Star Lord was all but shaking in fury and grief; even Nebula, Gamora's rival sibling, wore sorrow across her mechanical features. Loki only hoped they would channel those emotions into something constructive during the fight.

Thanos walked straight up to the shield, regarded it momentarily with open derision, and then brought his fist down against it in a mighty blow. Energy flared, crackled, and finally crumbled as the Power Stone obliterated Wakanda's defenses. Then the distant tree line began to tremble, and out poured swarms of multi-armed, razor-toothed monsters. Decidedly worse than the Chitauri.

The Wakandan troops stood in stunned silence, as the notion of battling those ravenous hordes without protection quickly became reality. Only Rocket, that saucy little rodent, was bold enough to speak out.

"Well, that didn't take long!"

Soon after the violent clash of armies, it became evident that simply holding off those mindless creatures would require the full effort of many Avengers; they also had to account for the Children. Banner and Stark engaged the largest in a rematch of New York, while Romanoff and Maximoff occupied the attention of Proxima Midnight in an all-female showdown. Captain Rogers fought the last Child on his own, receiving intermittent help from his colleagues whenever it could be had.

Rhodes and Wilson provided much-needed air support, whereas Rocket had gained some height by befriending the one-time Winter Soldier. Thor and Strange repelled the masses effectively, yet they kept their distance from Thanos, holding back until the predetermined moment to strike.

Thanos himself marched straight for Loki, using the Power Stone to blast aside anyone who got in his way. All as they had predicted, true…but this time, even the master of lies couldn't convince himself that he wasn't afraid. And he still had to get much closer for this to work. What kind of idiot had he been to volunteer such a plan? He would fabricate some way to blame Thor's influence later.

Running certainly wasn't an option, yet neither could he placidly stand there waiting for Thanos to reach him. Loki forced his feet to move forward, closing the distance, and he lashed out with the Aether whenever he had a clear shot to do so. Each time, the Titan absorbed his assault with a shield of purple energy from the Power Stone, although the impact did push him back a step.

Thanos was also bombarded by a steady stream of attacks from the enraged Guardians. Vengeance drove them at him again and again, although the only real damage they accomplished was in distracting their enemy so Loki could finally get close enough. Now he had to attempt to kill Thanos himself, an effort doomed to fail.

Loki conjured a dagger into his hand and lunged at the Titan's throat. He was met, as expected, by the Infinity Gauntlet around his own neck, lifting him high into the air; he didn't have to pretend the way his feet kicked desperately to find purchase.

"You should have stayed on that ship, traitor," Thanos gloated over him. "Then I would have only killed you and spared your brother; but today, you will both die."

The Soul Stone glowed, and orange light passed from the Gauntlet into the Jotun. Loki didn't know what to expect; there was no _pain,_ per say. Just an odd feeling of _emptiness_ in his core – as if a black hole had opened behind his ribs, and he was imploding into it. The sensation lasted only an instant, however, before the Aether surged forth to flood the empty space inside him; its power felt even greater now than when it had first entered him.

Loki grinned wildly, even with that massive fist wrapped around his throat, and he called upon the Reality Stone to _stretch_ and _pull_. Thanos' arm turned into solid wood, rigid and unbendable. Loki had only a second to savor the look of confusion on that purple face before a glittering portal passed over his head and closed over the Titan's outstretched limb.

The sorcerer felt himself land on something cold as the raucous of battle suddenly fell silent. Thanos' arm, returned now to its natural state, had gone through the portal with him, and the fingers inside the Gauntlet remained locked around his neck like a vise. He grappled against that grip, struggling to call upon the Aether again, but his strength was failing with the lack of air.

His vision started to darken, when all of a sudden another set of hands was helping to pry the fingers away from his throat. One of those hands was incredibly strong – a metal hand, belonging to the Winter Soldier.

"Thank you!" Loki choked once he was free. He would have added the man's name, if only he could remember it. Rogers' friend, he knew that much; and a source of contention between him and Stark.

The Jotun greedily gulped in air, fighting to recapture his breath. He reached for his magic to begin healing the injuries in his throat…but he found only the Aether, which lent him its own brand of strength to open his damaged trachea and fill his lungs. How curious.

He lay there recovering for a few moments, aware of the Reality Stone pounding through his veins like blood with every beating of his heart.

When he finally took in his surroundings, he saw that they were on a snowy, desolate mountainside. He wondered distantly if Strange meant it as some kind of ironic joke, or if the man was just trying to be considerate to a Frost Giant. The Soldier stood off to one side, watching him closely.

"Why did Stephen send you after me?" he rasped to his silent companion. "Aren't you in danger of freezing to death here?"

The man shrugged. "Nah, the cold doesn't bother me much anymore."

Loki cracked a wry smile at that. "Me neither."

The minutes ticked by, each one more agonizing and awkward than the last. Why had Strange not yet come for them? Had something gone amiss, even with Thanos deprived of the Gauntlet? Was Thor all right?

At last, a sparkling orange circle appeared, and Doctor Strange stepped onto the mountain, his red cape whipping behind him in the winds.

"It's over!" he announced in lieu of greeting. "Thanos is dead! Thor's axe did the trick once the Gauntlet was removed. We finished off the rest of his Children too, after that, so now it's just a matter of cleaning up the mass army. A messy job, but one the Avengers are used to by now." He narrowed his eyes at Loki, scrutinizing. "Are you okay?"

Loki gingerly massaged his bruised throat. "Well enough – although it took you long enough to send me some assistance. How is Thor?"

"All in one godly piece, thank goodness, but I think he'll electrocute me next if I come back without you. Let's go."

Strange retrieved the abandoned Gauntlet himself and returned all of them to the Wakandan battlefield. It was an absolute mess of heaping, multi-armed corpses, with the other Avengers making quick work of finishing off the savage creatures that still ran free. Loki ignored them, ignored everyone. His eyes only sought one other as he walked amongst the carnage – and there he was, leading the hunt.

"Thor!"

Loki couldn't exactly shout after his near strangulation, yet somehow the Thunderer heard his voice above the din of dying battle. Thor swerved in midflight and landed beside his brother an instant later, crushing him in a hug. The younger prince was too grateful to protest the treatment.

"Loki, thank the Norns!"

Although Thor was filthy and looked like a cat's favorite scratching post, his embrace was full of strength, and he smelled of lightning. Loki breathed it in deep and clung a little tighter before exhaling in relief.

"You're all right!"

"And you?" Thor habitually reached for his sibling's neck, the touch frightfully gentle this time. "He must have been near to killing you, to have caused this much damage."

Loki smiled, full of charm. "I'm still breathing, am I not? I'm sure the worst has already passed." So why did he not believe it himself? He shook off the sudden, chilling doubt and inquired, "How did the rest of your friends fare?"

"Wakanda's army suffered grave losses without their shield, but among _our_ friends there are only injuries."

"What, no deaths among the heroes? None at all?"

"None besides those who were already lost – Vision, Gamora, Heimdall. I can scarcely believe it myself."

Neither could Loki. In his experience, he had never known Fate to be so generous – especially not in light of such a lofty victory.

The next task was to tend to the wounded, which included virtually everyone; even the hardy Captain was detained in the infirmary with badly broken ribs. Stark was busy fretting over the young Spiderling, whose arm had been thoroughly mauled by one of the monsters; yet the boy was resilient and healing well, despite being in a good deal of pain. And if Loki happened to catch Iron Man sneaking in to check on Rogers while the other man slept…well, he would be the last one to admit it.

The bruising around the Trickster's throat disappeared the morning after the battle, a fact over which Thor rejoiced and Loki brooded. He never should have recovered so quickly, even with the benefit of his magic; magic which he still couldn't properly access.

In the meantime, Strange had cleverly utilized the Time Stone to speed up decomposition of the alien bodies, resulting in far easier cleanup over the coming days. When all that was resolved, he approached Loki one evening at sundown.

"Ready to get that Reality Stone out of you?"

Loki hesitated so briefly in his reply that the other didn't notice. "We might as well try. I am not yet suffering any ill effects from it, but I see no advantage in delay. Now is as good a time as any."

This would be the moment of truth. Thor still didn't understand the full extent of the risks, of course, but even Strange seemed uncommonly optimistic about their chances. Loki wanted to join them in hoping for the best scenario…yet something about the way the Aether hummed possessively within his veins forbade him from doing so.

The two sorcerers took their experiment outside the city as a precaution, although Thor predictably followed at a distance. The familiar containment vessel sat ready and waiting to receive its charge once more. Strange activated the green Stone around his neck, and Loki could feel the Aether moving inside him as a result, drawn toward the surface by reversed Time. But something was wrong – _very_ wrong. As the Reality Stone was pulled out of him, his consciousness seemed to chase after it. He grew light-headed, and his vision blurred.

"Stop…" He wanted to shout, except he had no strength to do so. It was all leaving him, along with the Aether. "Stephen, stop…"

The Void yawned open inside him again, and Loki tumbled headlong into darkness.

 **End Note:** I'm sure the final "casualties list" will be vastly different by the end of Avengers 4, but since this is an IW rewrite, I'm keeping my "list" as close to the movie as possible. Whether or not that will include Loki remains to be seen... Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. An Infinity War AU for those who wanted to see Loki play a larger role. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Author's Note:** Time for another personal disclaimer that I am not an expert in the Marvel universe, nor an expert in Infinity Stones. I can only write what's logical based on my understanding and interpretation from the movies, so I hope this chapter makes sense. Enjoy!

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 9**

Consciousness was a fuzzy, elusive thing; Loki waded into it feeling groggy but overall intact. The power of the Aether still sang inside him.

"Loki? Brother, please wake up…"

Thor's voice, faithfully beside him.

"I'm here," he slurred around a sluggish tongue. He pried his eyes open to find himself in a Wakandan hospital room. Thor sat next to him on the bed, grasping his hand, and the Thunderer's face radiated relief.

"Loki! I was so worried about you! Are you all right?"

"I'm not sure." His head swam when he tried to sit upright, so Thor propped him up on several pillows instead. "What happened?"

Doctor Strange, who stood on the opposite side of the bed with his arms crossed, answered, "You responded poorly when I tried to reverse the Reality Stone out of you, so I had to fast forward Time again and put it back."

"Responded poorly?" Thor echoed with righteous indignation. "He almost died!"

"It was a close call," Strange conceded, "but you seem to be doing well enough now. Everything went just like we hoped, up until you collapsed, so I truly have no idea what went wrong. Perhaps you could tell us more from your perspective?"

Loki reflected quietly, "I could feel the Aether leaving me, as planned, but all my strength seemed to go with it – as though I had no energy of my own apart from it. I wonder…"

Thanos' face rose to his mind's eye now, leering in triumph while the Stone Soul shimmered at his bidding; and Loki remembered the Void opening inside him.

"When I went at Thanos during the battle," he recalled aloud, "I expected him to attack me with the Power Stone, and I hoped the Reality Stone would shield me from the worst of it. Instead, he did…something with the Soul Stone as I reached him. No doubt he meant to harm me, but I felt no pain, just…emptiness. Only for an instant, until the Aether compensated for it, and all seemed well. Perhaps it exacted a higher toll than I thought."

Strange heard his account pensively, then strode from the room announcing, "I'll be right back."

"I can't properly feel my magic anymore either," Loki confessed to Thor when they were alone. "Since the battle, there is still plenty of power allowing me to accomplish some of the things I'm accustomed to – but it is the Aether's magic, not mine. I'm sure of it."

"You mean things like healing your throat?"

"Yes, exactly; or operating the Tesseract."

The elder prince frowned. "When did you use the Tesseract recently?"

"Two nights ago. I needed a respite from Stark and Quill, so I slipped away to Alfheim for a bit of wine. Surely you don't blame me?"

"No," Thor brooded. He looked very much torn between a desire to laugh and to smack his little brother. "But you could have at least saved some for me."

Strange returned shortly accompanied by the Scarlet Witch, who still boasted an impressive line of stitches from the battle along her hairline; they hoped her abilities might better perceive what was happening inside Loki. Crimson light danced around her fingertips, which she held hovered over his forehead, and Loki closed his eyes to allow the probe past his magical barriers. He should have realized the decision was no longer his to make.

As soon as Maximoff's power broached his mind, the Aether retaliated without any direction from its host and threw the intruder violently aside. Luckily, Wanda collided against Thor, who caught and cushioned her easily. It had all happened in the blink of an eye, and the foursome stared at each other in shocked amazement.

"That's what happened when the Aether was inside Jane," Thor rumbled at last. "Brother, I thought you could control it better than that."

"I can!" But beneath that defensive anger, Loki recognized the lie as soon as it left his lips. "Or rather…I _used_ to be able to."

Wanda's eyes still hadn't left him, her expression confused and somewhat horrified.

"Did you feel anything there?" Strange prompted. "Anything at all?"

Her gaze flickered briefly toward him, then back to Loki. She searched to find the right words. "Before the battle, I could feel you and the Reality Stone existing together. Now there's only the Stone. Without it, there would be no Loki left."

Grim comprehension finally dawned on Strange, who deduced, "So whatever Thanos did to you with the Soul Stone…you should have died right then. While the Reality Stone couldn't prevent what happened to your soul, it did sustain your body after the fact; it's _still_ sustaining you. That's why I can't remove it without killing you. Your continued existence can only be credited to the Stone's intervention."

Loki would have laughed, except that despair had throttled him afresh. "The Aether is a generous parasite, then. It keeps me alive even while it kills me."

It _would_ kill him. He could feel the certainty of that truth as surely as he'd once felt his magic. Of course, there only remained his physical strength and longevity now for the Aether to plunder…but once that was drained, it would forsake him; and he would die.

Thor must have realized it as well, judging by the raw desperation in his voice. "Can't we just rewind Time to the point of the injury and undo that?"

"No!" Loki countered at once. "It's too tightly tied to the timing of Thanos' defeat; they were virtually simultaneous. We dare not risk trifling with that, especially when we don't even know if it will help."

"But surely we could try…"

Strange calmly interrupted, "No, Thor. Loki's right. The dangers of accidentally altering something else in the process are too great, and I _won't_ do it. Not for you, or for him, or for anyone."

Thor turned on him in an instant, livid. "You _dare_ defy me, Wizard…"

Loki recognized the threat in his sibling's tone and hurried to intercede. "Don't be angry with him, Brother! I knew there was a chance we wouldn't be able to undo this, but I did it willingly all the same. It was a calculated risk."

"Your calculations usually turn out better," the elder god retorted bitterly. He wasn't finished yet. "We have the Gauntlet in our possession now; there must be some way we can use it to fix this!"

Strange's next words were news to Loki. "Banner and Stark have already removed the three Stones from the Gauntlet for obvious security reasons. Even if we risked the dangers of putting them back, which I could never condone, no one possesses the combined skill and power to wield it effectively – not me, and certainly not Loki now."

"As much as I hate to do it, I must agree with Stephen," Loki concurred. "From this point on, any tampering with the Gauntlet is likely to do more harm than good – not just for me, but for everyone."

Thor rounded on him next. "So you'll just sit back quietly and let that thing kill you?"

"Better me than you." It took all of Loki's willpower to face the tears in his brother's eyes. "Thanos is dead, Thor, and our people are avenged. For my part, I have cheated inglorious death often enough that I see no reason to rail against an honorable one this time."

And most surprising of all was the realization that he meant it. Perhaps some deeper part of him had known this would be the inevitable outcome, ever since he agreed to let the Aether enter him.

Thor stormed out then, with Wanda following; and when they had gone, Strange did offer one amendment to his previous statements. "We can still examine the Soul Stone by itself, apart from the Gauntlet and the other Stones. I'm not very optimistic, considering the damage has already been done, but we may find an answer there."

* * *

News of Loki's condition spread quickly over the following days. He reluctantly agreed to it when T'Challa's young sister insisted on examining him with her science. The sweet girl received only a broken arm for her efforts, for the Aether perceived a threat immediately and lashed out at her before Loki could even think of preventing it. Not that he had much confidence in his ability to restrain the Reality Stone now. He truly did feel badly about the incident, and while his internal resources were limited, he did all he could to help quicken the girl's recovery. No such further attempts were made after that.

However, Strange hadn't given up hope altogether. He kept theorizing different ways to approach their original plan, such as reversing Loki's state rather than the Aether's, but every endeavor ultimately fell short. Thankfully, none of them necessitated Loki returning to the hospital. Their attentions turned next to the Soul Stone, with equally disappointing results. At times it seemed they were so _close_ to a solution, only to have the Aether repel any infringement from its fellow Stone.

It led the two sorcerers to conclude that the Tesseract must still respond to Loki because it was an external application of force, rather than something occurring inside him. The Reality Stone now occupied the void left by Loki's wounded soul, and even the Soul Stone couldn't replace what it had removed.

Perhaps a being as awesomely powerful as Thanos or Odin, wielding the Infinity Gauntlet with all six Stones could have healed him, but such a luxury was impossible now. How could it be otherwise, when one of the Stones occupied Loki's body? He and the Aether were inseparable now; it would remain in him until he had nothing left to offer it.

"Still, I suppose I should thank you, Stephen," Loki acknowledged at the conclusion of another failed experiment. "For your enduring willingness to try."

"Thank _you_ for helping us," the other replied sincerely. "I expect there would have been some outcomes in which we could have won without you…but probably not many of them."

"Well, at least that would have narrowed your options for action considerably; but you should know I didn't do any of this for you."

"I think we all know who you did it for."

Loki blatantly changed the subject. "What has been determined regarding the fate of the Infinity Stones? I notice I've conveniently not been consulted in that matter."

"Most people thought it a necessary precaution. Many of them will never forgive you for what happened in New York, and they still see you as a threat now."

"Rightfully so, albeit a threat with a limited lifespan. But you still haven't answered my question: has anything been decided?"

Strange deliberated, sighed, and finally divulged, "Wanda will destroy the Mind Stone, to ensure something like this can never happen again. The Time Stone will remain here on Earth under my protection; and since we don't want any one person to know the location of the remaining Stones, the Guardians will take Power and Soul with them, to guard or hide or entrust as they see fit. Similarly, the King of Asgard may do whatever he deems best with the Tesseract and the Aether…once it's available. He will also take the Gauntlet back to Nidavellir where it can be melted down for good."

Loki huffed. "That is wise, although the oaf is likely to get sunburnt again unless Eitri has fixed that blasted mechanism. And when will the Guardians leave?"

"Any day now; Thor will take them back to Titan by way of the Bifrost so they can retrieve their ship. They'll go as soon as you and I acknowledge that we're ready to part with the Soul Stone."

Loki heaved a sigh of his own now. "Yes, I suppose it's time we admit our defeat there; I see no reason for us to detain them any longer."

Strange made no argument. "I'll let them know."

* * *

However many days the Aether would have resided in Jane Foster, it amounted to as many weeks for Loki. It would have been longer, if not for the wound Thanos had dealt him with the Soul Stone. Still all too brief, for those essentially immortal.

After the Guardians' departure, the other Avengers started going their separate ways as well. Most bid farewell to Loki in some fashion, including Natasha, but Stark's goodbye was the most memorable of all.

Loki looked up from a novel one afternoon to the chime of clinking glass and saw Tony standing in the doorway of his room with a bottle and two tumblers.

"Welcome, Man of Iron, as my brother calls you. What brings you here?"

"The drink I still owe you – for helping us stop a crazy purple bastard, mind you, not for throwing me out my own window. You do remember that, right? I know the magic red mist is slowly killing you, but I didn't expect it to affect your memory."

The inventor was clearly digging for a smile, and Loki humored him with one. "Never fear, Anthony, I shall fondly recall that memory until my final moments."

Stark poured the whiskey, and the two of them drank after an obligatory "cheers." The amber liquid burned pleasantly, although Loki found the overall flavor somewhat lacking. Stark apparently agreed.

"I have better stuff at home," he half-apologized, "but this was the best I could come up with on short notice. So what now? You just going to stay here in Wakanda and…wait to die?"

Loki offered a minute shrug. "More or less – whilst dodging my brother's tears. Although my days are sadly numbered, I expect there are more than a few left. Stephen has gone home to his Sanctum, but he will return here every few days to check on my progress."

"More like your regress," Tony scoffed, though he did wince apologetically afterwards. "How's Thor dealing with all of this?"

"Simply put, he's not. Thor will find it no easier coping with my death a third time, and I know he will need support from those he loves. Should he seek that on Earth, Anthony….will you and Rogers be there for him?"

Stark hesitated a long moment, but responded at last with a decisive nod. "Yeah, Reindeer Games. We'll be here."

 **End Note:** Only one chapter left now, and I promise it will focus heavily on the brothers. If I'm truly cruel enough to still kill Loki, the least I can do is give him and Thor a proper goodbye like they deserve. Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary:** In the first Avengers movie, Loki implied that he could wield the Tesseract. I say we give him the opportunity. An Infinity War AU for those who wanted to see Loki play a larger role. Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I am in no competition with Marvel or Disney for ownership. If I owned these characters, I clearly would have done things differently.

 **Author's Note:** I hope I never called this a "fix-it" fic at any time. Regarding the rather tragic turn this story has taken, I must say that Loki's death in IW didn't surprise me by any means, and I won't be surprised whether Marvel ultimately brings him back or leaves him dead. I just hated that he and Thor had so little time to enjoy their healing relationship. Hence the need for this self-indulgent, therapeutic AU, and my sincere thanks goes to those readers who have stuck with me all the way to the end. So grab those tissues, and I'll meet you at the conclusion.

 **Space and Time**

 **Chapter 10**

The Guardians had been gone for over a month, and Loki still found it difficult speaking to Thor. It appeared his brother was avoiding him, trying to ignore the inescapable truth. Loki then began to consider: what if he should have died back on that ship after all, and every moment he'd lived since then was virtually borrowed time? Would it have been any easier for Thor that way?

At last, he drew a bit of inspiration from Stark and sought Thor out with a bottle and two glasses in hand, for surely good alcohol was the universal equalizer.

He found him in one of T'Challa's private arbors and greeted, "Here you are, Brother. You see, I did save some of that Alfheim wine for you." It felt like nothing less than a peace offering, which wasn't far from the truth.

Thor stiffly accepted the drink, though he actually smiled at the bright, sweet taste of it. "This honeyed wine," he observed with pleasant surprise. "My favorite."

"I know." Personally, Loki preferred a wine with richer, more complex notes. "Think of it as my gift to you."

"A parting gift?" Thor's smile had vanished, and just like that, the comfortable moment shattered.

Loki drained his glass and likewise dropped any pretense of camaraderie; he had hoped for better with this visit. "I really don't know what you want from me now, Thor. Can't we just make the most of whatever time we have left together?"

"No! I will _not_ watch you die again, Brother."

"Then I suggest you be in a different room when it happens." He turned to leave.

"I'm serious, Loki!" Thor grabbed the younger god's arm to detain him, and the Aether shoved him back against the far wall with a flare of crimson. Loki hadn't raised a finger.

"So am I, Thor; there is no reversing this. You had best come to terms with it as I have."

"I don't want to 'come to terms' with it. I want you!"

A whisper, "And how often does the universe deprive us of that one thing we most desire?"

Thor's proud shoulders tensed. "We have had this conversation before; and I tell you again, surrender is not in my nature."

Loki sighed bitterly and shook his head. "Please, Brother, your stubborn refusal to let me go only makes this worse for both of us. At least there will be plenty of time to say goodbye, once you acknowledge the need to do so."

"Too much time; goodbyes aren't supposed to last this long." The Thunderer drooped a little, discouraged, but he had one more tactic to try. "On Nidavellir, you said that you wouldn't let me get myself killed in some heroically suicidal act. Why is this any different, now that our roles are reversed?"

"Because my heroically suicidal act is already finished. There is nothing left for you to prevent." Loki's expression then softened, as he pondered the gentlest way to phrase what must come next. "I can see what you're thinking, Brother. But the moon has no light of its own without the sun, whereas the sun shines on regardless of whether or not there is a moon to reflect its light. Don't you dare wish our places were exchanged."

Thor hung his head and shuffled closer so he could pull his sibling into a tight hug. He sounded dejected and defeated now, whispering into the other's ear, "Loki, I know you couldn't bear to watch me suffer, back on that ship. What makes you think I'll be any stronger when faced with your suffering?"

"You've always been the strong one." He squeezed Thor's arms as they withdrew from the embrace and tried to raise their spirits by reverting to a more light-hearted tone. "Besides, I don't know that I'll be 'suffering,' per say. I expect a slow death, but not necessarily a torturous one. You can keep the rest of this."

He handed Thor the wine bottle then, and the Tesseract quickly replaced it inside his open palm.

"Where are you going?" his brother asked in alarm when he began conjuring a portal.

"To Svartalfheim. The Aether needs to flex its muscles, and I figure there's nothing left for it to harm on that world. I've no wish to release it here among these good people, but I fear that will happen without my consent unless I can provide a suitable outlet. It is becoming increasingly difficult to control."

"Very well, just…promise me you'll come back."

Loki's smile was all genuine this time. "My dear Thor, I already died on Svartalfheim once. How very tedious it would be to do so again."

* * *

The God of Mischief employed no subtlety or finesse this time. There was no holding back as he let the Reality Stone's power explode from his body like a storm. His own essence followed the Aether when it lashed out, energy not fully replenished upon the Stone's return. Volcanic rock disintegrated into dust at the Aether's touch, and even the meager daylight of the Dark World dimmed in response.

It would have been prudent to stop this display, if only he could. One particularly violent outburst drove Loki to his knees, forcing him to spit up blood on the ashen ground. Drops of bright ruby red, just like the Aether; but of the two, it was no longer his blood that sustained him. The balance of power shifted between them in that moment. From now on, the Aether would have the upper hand, and Loki's deterioration would accelerate.

He would consider this the beginning of the end.

When the Reality Stone's fury was finally spent, it left Loki crouched wearily on the ground, panting like a hound too long at the hunt. He needed three attempts to stand, with the way his head swam, and his legs trembled treacherously beneath him for several minutes. Once he felt reasonably strong again, he brought forth the Tesseract – and hesitated.

He had told Thor he would not die on Svartalfheim…but how poetic would it be to perish in the realm of his birth? _Cast out onto a frozen rock_ , as Odin had once put it. It was an alluring notion, to be sure, yet one he ultimately decided against. Although death was surely coming for him, it was yet too far off. If he went to Jotunheim to die, Thor would have time to search for and very possibly find him, given the Thunderer's legendary persistence. Better to go back to Midgard, at least for now.

So he did, and when Strange visited Wakanda the following day, he noticed the difference in Loki's condition instantly. Not even Thor had been that perceptive.

The sorcerer got his Asgardian counterpart alone and suggested, "I think it's time we relocate you to the Sanctum in New York, where you can be under my constant supervision. I don't want to risk your dying prematurely and setting the Reality Stone loose here."

"As you wish," Loki concurred tiredly. He still hadn't fully recovered from yesterday's exertions on Svartalfheim; he would _never_ fully recover. "Do you intend to bring Thor there as well?"

"Naturally – I doubt anything could keep him away. Are there any loose ends you need to tie up here before we leave?"

"None except to thank T'Challa for his untiring hospitality; and now that the Captain is back in Wakanda, I may just have to color his hair pink in farewell, if the Aether will permit me. Speaking of loose ends, I do need to teach you how to recapture the Aether once it is inevitably free from my body. It will be most vulnerable then, most susceptible to being guided into the holding device rather than into another host."

Strange nodded. "Any pointers you can give me would be welcome, but I'm not too concerned. In all of our failed attempts to move the Reality Stone out of you, it responded well to the Time Stone's manipulations; I always can take that approach again after it leaves you."

"So in other words, I was the uncooperative element in your equations?"

"Yes, but you already knew that." The mortal suddenly grew more somber. "I probably shouldn't bring this up – and I definitely haven't mentioned it to Thor – but I think I could bring you back to your state right after the battle, with the Reality Stone still inside you. Potentially multiple times."

Loki understood immediately. "Make me relive a slow death over and over again, is that it? Forever sharing my body with an unstable parasite that drains my strength and makes me a danger to all around me?"

"Basically." Strange shrugged. "It would keep you alive, perhaps even indefinitely if we repeated the process every few weeks; but I'm not sure that's what you really want."

"Only my love for Thor would tempt me to consider it." He must truly be weakened, to speak his feelings so freely. "But no, you are right; I have no desire to 'live' in such a manner."

"He talked to me, you know. He asked if there was any way it could be him instead of you."

The Trickster rolled his eyes to hide how he was touched. "Of course he did, the sentimental fool. I trust you didn't get his hopes up?"

"I told him what he already knows. What everyone already knows."

Loki forced a wry smile. "You know, Stephen, it is rather a shame that our paths only crossed under these circumstances. In another _reality_ , you and I could have been travelers through all of space and time."

* * *

This had to be done. Loki had known for some time that it was coming, and to put it off any longer would be dangerous; but that didn't render the dreaded task any easier. He had been living in the Sanctum for a week now, with only Stephen and Thor for company. It was the latter whom he needed now.

Despite Thor's uncharacteristic silence of late, he was not difficult to find; he never strayed too far from his brother, after all. Loki allowed no time for thought, walking straight up to his sibling and wordlessly folding him into a hug. Thor returned the gesture without even bothering to ask what was wrong; there was no need.

Already blinking furiously to hold back the tears, Loki said perhaps the most difficult words of his entire life. "Thor – after this, you have to stop touching me."

His brother's arms only tightened around him in response. "Why would you say that?"

"Because the Aether senses that my strength is fading, and soon it will abandon me in favor of a stronger host – if given the opportunity. The mortals don't interest it much, but you, Thunderer, are far too tempting to resist. Even now, I have to hold it back from you, and I won't be able to do so for much longer. Why do you think I've been so agreeable to your hugs lately?"

By now, Thor was crying openly against his shoulder and showed no sign of ever letting go. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you this time, Brother."

"Yes, you do." Loki assumed the position of comforter, holding his distraught elder with gentle firmness. "Just as when I 'died' before, you must do the duty that lies nearest. Seek out Valkyrie and the scattered remnant of our people, and settle them in a new home. But perhaps not Midgard, after all; I daresay Stephen has had his fill of Asgardians on Earth. Be the King of Asgard, Thor Odinson, wherever the new Asgard might be."

"Without you by my side as advisor?" sniffled the other.

Loki bit down his lip, unseen; it wouldn't do for him to lose his composure now. Nevertheless, he couldn't keep the tremor out of his voice entirely. "Brother, with all that has been lost, you will be a sad king…but a good king. Not to mention a far wiser one than the arrogant, idiotic youth who would have been crowned at your first coronation."

That prompted a very small smile through the tears, as intended. "Am I supposed to thank you for ruining that day, then?"

"If you do, I shan't stop you."

Thor finally drew back to look at him, but his hand remained firmly clasped on the back of his brother's neck. So much fondness mixed with sorrow in those blue eyes was truly painful to behold, and Loki could no longer restrain his own tears.

"I love you, Loki."

"I know, Thor. And never doubt that I love you."

He summoned the Tesseract into his hand then, a prodigious effort for such a simple task.

"I might as well give this to you now, seeing as I'm no longer fit to use it. I can recommend some clever hiding places, if you like."

Thor took the Space Stone from him with fresh tears glistening in his eyes, and Loki let his brother pull him into their last embrace.

* * *

Two more weeks dragged by, with Loki spending more and more time asleep each day. He woke once to the foggy realization of company at his back. Very familiar company.

"Thor, you shouldn't be here; you're too close." He gingerly rolled over to find his brother lying wide awake beside him.

"You said we couldn't touch; I'm not _actually_ touching you."

"I thought we stopped playing this game when we were six."

The Thunderer grinned, but it faded an instant later. "How do you feel?"

Thor asked him that every time they spoke now; thankfully, Stephen had never done so once.

Loki looked away, unable to meet the other's loving, worried eyes. "The Aether is insatiable, like a fire which never says 'enough.' It won't be long now, I think. I am so tired, as though all I can do is sleep; but when I wake, I'm even more exhausted than before."

Thor stared down at his brother's arm, exposed above the blankets. Loki's normally pale skin was almost translucent now, and a shimmering red current could be seen running underneath. It wasn't blood.

"Don't touch, Thor."

"I won't…" He tore his gaze away with obvious difficulty. "Can you eat anything?"

"I can, although it doesn't seem to make any difference to my strength; however, I will do so now if it makes you feel better."

"I'll bring you something." Thor left in a hurry, grateful for an errand that let him feel useful.

Loki watched him go. He had tried so hard for so long to be strong in Thor's presence, knowing that this was often more difficult for his brother than for himself; but there was no point in being "strong" now. He barely had the strength to lift his head off the pillow when Thor returned with some soup.

* * *

Time began to blur incoherently, but Loki guessed it to be three or four days later that he woke to fresh air and _very_ different surroundings. His bed from the Stanctum was surrounded by green grass that tumbled off the side of a nearby cliff, with a vast sea and open sky stretching far beyond.

"Am I dead?" he whispered bemusedly.

Strange's voice behind him supplied the answer. "No, not yet, but I thought this seemed like a good place. For when the time comes."

Loki slowly recognized the secluded Norwegian fjord. "This is where Odin…where my father died."

Strange nodded, walking into his charge's line of sight. "It's peaceful, beautiful, and entirely isolated. Thor will follow us here shortly."

Speaking of Thor….there was a matter Loki had been pondering for some time. He had best mention it now, while he was still able. "Stephen, will you do something for me?"

"What is it?" Of course, he wasn't foolish enough to commit to any request from the Trickster without knowing all the details first.

"I want you to send Thor away, when it's time. Send him through one of your portals. He doesn't need to see this again."

Silence betrayed the man's initial shock. He answered elusively, reluctantly, "You know that special axe of his allows him to fly and travel between worlds. No matter where I send him, he won't be gone long."

"I won't need long, if we time it right." The effort of simply speaking left him winded, exhausted anew. "Please – consider it the last wish of a dying man."

"I thought dying men usually wanted their families with them at the end," Strange argued. "Not even you should have to die alone."

"I won't be alone; you have to be here to catch the Aether."

"You may hurt him even worse by sending him away; he'll just remember it as one last betrayal."

"I know." He did, and it hurt. "All the same, I don't want my final memory to be of his suffering and grief. Have I not earned that much, at least?"

Strange still wasn't ready to agree. "Is there no way you would allow him to stay?"

"There may be," Loki mused wistfully, "but I don't know if he's capable of doing it."

"The least you can do is ask, for his sake. I'll bring him here."

Loki slept again after Stephen left. Part of him feared he wouldn't wake up again, feared he would leave this life without saying a final goodbye to his brother; another part of him wished that _would_ be the case. It would make things so much easier, in a way.

He did wake, for better or for worse; and there was Thor, sitting much too close again on the side of the bed. The great oaf practically oozed with relief when their eyes met, and it clearly took every ounce of self-restraint he possessed not to clasp his brother's limp hand.

Loki did love him; he always had, even when neither of them believed it.

"Doctor Strange said there was something you wanted to ask of me." Thor's voice was hushed yet urgent, afraid they might run out of time with crucial things left unsaid.

"Yes…" Except it took Loki a moment to remember what it was. "Thor, if you want to stay with me until the end…you have to smile. If you love me, promise me that will be the last thing I see. Please."

The King of Asgard certainly wasn't smiling now. Tears poured down his cheeks, yet he answered with a curt nod of his golden head. "You have my word, Brother – but only if you promise to give Mother a kiss for me when you see her."

Tears glimmered in Loki's own eyes at the thought; Thor truly believed his little brother would see Frigga again in Valhalla, the eternal resting place of the brave. Loki wished rather than believed him to be correct. He would find out soon enough.

"I will," he whispered.

Within the hour, the Aether started moving – similar to the times Strange had manipulated it, only far slower. Life was gradually bleeding from Loki, rather than deserting him all at once in a magical vacuum. For his own safety, Thor stood well apart from the two sorcerers as the Reality Stone emerged from its failing host, and Loki was dimly aware of Stephen murmuring the necessary incantations to recapture the Aether inside its vessel. It must be working.

The crimson taint left his vision even as his sight darkened from weakness. He could scarcely keep his eyes open now; very soon, they would not open again. He felt impossibly heavy and utterly tired. His limbs tingled with the Aether's retreat, only to do so again in a way he recognized from the times he had held the Casket. The spells that maintained his Asgardian appearance were fading.

Thor had promised to take proper care of his body. Would he have second thoughts, when faced with a Jotun corpse? Would he feel any revulsion, if the eyes he closed were red?

Thunder groaned in the distance, a storm rumbling overhead, and Loki wished his brother could hold his hand. He couldn't even feel his hands now, for the tingling had turned to numbness. He was so, so cold…

But there! Even dampened by tears, Thor's smile was warmer than any sunshine.

Loki missed it already.

 **The End**

 **Author's Note:** While the perspective of this story doesn't follow Loki into the afterlife, the author firmly believes that: yes, Loki will see his parents in Valhalla, and no, Thor won't see Loki's Jotun form as anything less than his brother. But sadly, I also believe Loki would have his doubts up until the very end. Thank you so much for reading!


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